Dwindling

So, my poor vegetable garden is becoming smaller and smaller as summer goes on. I sadly didn't get any photos of my poor squash to show how bad it got before Hubby throw it out but, in a way, I guess that's not such a bad thing.

You see, my sweet, beautiful squash got infested with stink bugs. It turns out that most organic pesticides don't work on the nasty buggers and to make things worse, they have few natural predators. We tried for a good month at controlling the spread of eggs and baby stink bugs but in the end, there was just no hope for the sad plant. We tried spraying the eggs with organic pesticide every day, scrapping the ones we saw off and putting them in soapy water along with any adults and baby stink bugs but in the end, more just kept coming and eventually got down to the root of my squash where they began to kill it from the base. The plant itself seemed healthy for the most part but by the root, it was black and decaying. It was only a matter of time for the rest to start showing the effects, so we cut off the vines from the trellis, and tossed the whole plant. So, I'm thinking about planting another squash vine in hopes that it blooms before fall so that we get at least a small crop of them this fall.

Now we are being extra diligent at checking the cucumber and tomato plants for eggs and such. They seem to have decided that because the squash was gone, the next best thing was the cucumber. *sigh* I'm not giving up though and neither is Hubby. He is really starting to have quite a green thumb these days and even invested in some gardening gloves to remove the gross colonization (mostly because I can't stand the idea of touching a stink bug... even with gardening gloves on).

Over the past two days, Hubby has already removed close to 60 stink bugs (not including the eggs) from the cucumbers and tomatoes. I just pray this time around that we can keep up with it and that no more of my crops get hindered. We are also looking into getting marigolds to plant all around my produce. I was told that they don't like those and it would help limit the amount of pests that come in.

If there is an upside to all of this it’s that I have grown a little as an organic gardener and learned something new and how to care for my plants better. In a way, it has brought me and my husband closer and has given us something to do together and that is, I suppose, more valuable than a few dead plants. And though my garden may be dwindling my relationship and knowledge grows.

A Cooler Box

Yep... I know... a bad pun >.< forgive me? I couldn't help myself. Ha. aaaaaany ways....

A couple of weeks ago Hubby and I were invited to stay at my parents’ house for a visit and before our trip to the amusement park.

While we were there my mother mentioned to me about my fridge organization post and how she had wanted to do something about her own refrigerator.

So, looked at what she had around the house to use, cleaned out old food and expired jars, and made a list of what we needed to go out and buy.

She is not a fan of chalk labels like I am so be snagged some draw erase labels for $5 each (we used two packs of 10) to make things more cohesive.

Once all the old stuff was gone we had plenty of room for all the jars and such to fit in the door like she wanted.

My parents tend to always have left overs in the fridge. I guess it’s from years of feeding a family of five and now only having three mouths to feed but whatever it is, there was a general lack of organization when it came to what was in what container and how old things were so for quick fix we used the same labels on a large set of matching plastic wear (that she already had on hand), to create "left over containers". That way, all the left overs are easily stack-able, movable, and easy to know what’s in it and how old it is.

While we were out picking up the labels we also snagged the bread box, meat container, and cheese and egg baskets all for around $8! the egg and cheese baskets help make things more visible then when they are in a carton or drawer so that they don't end up buying something they already have enough of (because I hate when I used to buy eggs just to find out I still had half a carton left).

My parents like to keep their bread in the refrigerator so she got the box to put them in so it’s easy to just toss the bagels, bread and such in the bin after making a sandwich or what not instead of having it in a heap in the fridge or having to make them look pretty. After all, like I always say, organizing should make life easier and clean not harder and clean. The meat container we grabbed because she didn't have one and like me, likes to thaw out her meat the day before; and no one like meat dripping on things and contaminating it!

So there you have it. Another fridge organization post, but a little different.

It just goes to show that you take a good idea and always makes it your own and find out what works for you with the same basic principles.

So happy organizing! :D

Family Changes

Last week was such a world win of fun! A group of "extended family" came to visit and we all decided to meet up at a local amusement park (the same one we went to for my siblings birthday's).

How nice it was to see old friends again and to catch up on life. It's crazy how old one feels when you remember playing babies and in tree houses one second and the next you’re talking about boyfriends and cuddling babies. 

It really puts things in perspective for you, you know. Button had so much love'n's from everyone.

Even Hubby enjoyed soaking up the sun and enjoy the relaxing time.

We even ended the night with a fireworks show.

I can't wait until we can all visit again and see how much we have grown and changed through the years. 

Family Visits

Over the long weekend, Hubby and I were blessed to have his sister come stay with us. While she was here I offered to do a photo session for her and she actually said yes! :D

We had so much fun together exploring downtown, window shopping, and just chill'n with  this Little Man.

Nothing beats spending time with the ones you love and making memories together.

Thank you sis for sharing your time with us and for being such a blessing fun person to be around. We love you much!

Home Made Barbecue Sauce

Summer is here! Bring on the grill, the pool, long days at the park and longer nights under firefly skies!

To ring in the sunny season I'm sharing with you all my own homemade sweet and spicy barbecue recipe. :D

 You will need: a medium-sized bowl (yep... that's it!)

• 1/2 Cup ketchup
• 2 Table spoons chili sauce
• 4 Table spoons liquid smoke
• 1/2 T spoon Cinnamon
• 2 Table spoons honey
• 1/2 T spoon Cajun seasoning
• 2 T spoons ancho chili powder

1. In the bowl mix all the liquid ingredients
2. add in the seasonings and mix well
3. roll meat in the the barbecue sauce (or use a basting brush if you choose)
4. cook and enjoy! ( I cooked mine on a cast iron grill but this recipe is also great over a coal or gas grill)

Anticipation

I  am just so excited! The first fruit in the garden has started to grow at last!

Our tomatoes are on their way! The squash is starting to bud beautiful, large, yellow flowers which give me hope for this falls crop.

The anticipation is killing me! I just can't wait to have tasty plump tomatoes on turkey burgers, fried tomatoes, homemade pasta sauce, and BLTs with homemade bread and homegrown tomatoes and lettuce! oh my goodness, I need to go cook something now.... and prune my garden, and I may or may not stair at my itty bitty tomato wishing it was bigger already, while I'm at it. Ha.

Take a Hike

Hubby and I went on a small hike the other day just for fun. I thought we should get out while the summer days are still slightly cool and not too humid. It was so nice to just get out and do something active and different. During the walk, we even found a couple of critter trails and a bunch of mulberry trees. 

They reminded me of my childhood growing up near a marsh where I and my siblings would play and collect mulberries for my mother to make mulberry cobbler or mulberry syrup to put on our pancakes.

Hubby and I didn't have anything to put some in and most of the trees were too high for use to be willing to climb at the time but I can see us going back just to pick some soon! 

It’s a memory I would love to share with Button and all my future children, for sure.

Hopefully, I won’t forget my camera in the car next time so I can share the trails with you all.